Monday, January 21, 2008

Questions and More Questions...

Today's post is not ticket related so I wont even try to connect it. I have a couple of things in my collection that have been nagging at me to get some answers. So hopefully someone knows something about my two questions today.

First, following up with my Hall of Chemistry postof the other day, here is a Hall of Chemistry souvenir photo mailer thingy. I have seen these before, but I think you the "visitor" is supposed to be in the picture. Any Idea why Luna-Lana is standing pretty all by herself? Could you just buy the photo souvenir without "you" in it? Seems kind of odd to me...

You can't see the whole picture when it's in the mailer, so I took it out and scanned it. Neat stuff on the walls! The back of the photograph only reveals that it is a "Polaroid", it has held up well over the years, anyone want to guess what year this might be from?

My second question is really a set of questions. I've been making a complete list of my Disneyland Guide Books for a friend (Jason, I'll have it done soon I promise). I came across a book that I can't get the exact date, but the stranger part is some of the attraction names are wrong or just weird.

Let's start with what we know. This is a late 1966 or early 1967 guide book. I can date this book as it has the Pirates of the Caribbean coming soon and as you can see, half of Tomorrowland is under construction. All seems well, right means right, left means left.

Here is where it gets weird and my questions begin. #15 lists "Monsanto's Magic Microscope"? I knew that was a preliminary name but wasn't the real name decided by the time the New Tomorrowland opened? Location #10 and #18 list these areas as "Coca-Cola Refreshment Gardens", when was it ever called that? And look at #14 The House of the Future, I have heard it co-existed with the new Tomorrowland for a few months, but it just make this little slice of history even more odd to me.

So we can have order back in the universe, from the 1970 Guide Book. We have Adventure Thru Inner Space and the Coca-Cola Tomorrowland Terrace. The House of the future has turned into a Souvenir stand! Now the guide book shows a real photo of the new Tomorrowland. Notice the 66/67 one above has the wild artist rendering, then the next one has a more tame rendering.

And since this post lacks color, and you know how I am about Color. "The world is a carrousel of Color" Here is a late 70's early 80's post card of Alice and her pals. Hey, Alice has that whole Marsha Brady thing going one, she's cute! Was there a Walrus in Alice in Wonderland?

Tim: I think the second guidebook (with the conceptual names) was probably printed when they might not have finalized everything. You can also see that Flight to the Moon didn't have a sponsor listed, and the PeopleMover was the "People Mover."

I didn't know that the Picturephone was offered up as an attraction while the rest of the land was closed! Who were they talking to after the one at the NYWF closed, anyway?

I have been collecting Disneyland paper for over 17 years, and I have never...ever...seen or heard of this photo mailer. It is....incredible. Would do almost anything to have it in my collection. I am seriously speechless. What fortune to have this in your collection.

Tim- A couple questions on the first INA guidebook...what does the back cover look like? Also what entertainment is listed in the brochure? There are several variations of what I call the black INA guidebooks, the ones with Walt on the front cover. The only way to date them is by reading the history of INA on the back cover and looking at the events and entertainment. I believe the guidbook with the Home of the Future is Spring 1967 (New Tomorrowland was not complete or opened hence the Imagineer artist rendering.)

I will second Jed's comment on the photo folder...I have never seen that. Now it means I have another thing to look for! By the way, if you ever tire of it, send it my way!!

Progressland; nice spot with the People Mover and Flight to the Moon variances, it makes this map even weirder! They had a picture phone to the NYWF? Tell me more….

Jed; we’ll talk.

Amy; I have never seen the Disney version of Alice in Wonderland (Shame on me) I have only seen the old B & W version, was there a Walrus in that one?

Viewliner; Thanks, I knew you’d like that one! Lana is no Jayne, but pretty none the less.

Matterhorn; I will check all that info on the guide as soon as I find it! It was here last night, it’s somewhere on this desk, or in this filing cabinet, or in this briefcase, or in that box, or in my safe, or in another box? I’ll find it and report back.